Tuft forming sewing machine



1949 c. PICKWORTH TUFT FORMING SEWING MACHINE Filed June 26, 1945 Patented Dec. 27,1949

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,492,711 TUFT FORMING SEWING MACHINE Charles L. Pickworth, Auburn, Victoria, Australia Application June 26, 1945, Serial No. 601,634 In Australia June 28, 1944 3 Claims. (Cl. 112-79) This invention relates to improvements in and connected with tuft-forming sewing machinesthat is to say, machines for applying chenille and like decoration to fabrics.

It is already known to employ for this purpose a sewing machine in which the usual shuttle is replaced by a loop forming hook which moves into position at one side of the needle to engage the loop of the yarn when said needle has descended through the fabric whereby, when the needle is retracted, a loop of desired length is left on the hook. Such apparatus also includes means for successively severing the loops on the hook as the operation proceeds, one or more uncut loops being normally retained on the hook to prevent the yarn from being pulled out by the needle.

Now, the general object of the present invention is to provide improvements in tufting apparatus of the aforesaid type whereby advantages in construction and operation are obtained, while one specific object is to provide improved means for successively severing the formed loops.

With these objects in view the invention resides in apparatus comprising a loop holding member, a loop shearing member pivotally connected to said loop holding member and cutting edges on said loop holding and shearing members arranged to coact with a scissors-like action.

The said loop holding member, which preferably constitutes a hook, may be adjustably mounted on a longitudinally disposed rock shaft (which may be the shaft normally used in a sewing machine to carry the shuttle). Alternatively said hook may be independently supported for oscillatory movements and suitably arranged for actuation by said rock shaft or by a rotary shaft. For this purpose the hook may be mounted on a rock shaft provided with an arm which coacts with a cam on the first mentioned rock shaft.

According to a further modification, the loop holding hook is mounted for lateral sliding movements towards and from the needle and is actuated in timed relation with the needle by a cam on the aforesaid rock shaft or on a rotating shaft.

Preferably the said shearing member is guided at a position spaced from the pivotal axis thereof whereby same closes on the loop forming memher during each forward movement of the latter.

A salient feature of the invention resides in providing the said shearing member with a shoulder which serves as a stop to prevent the severing of each loop until the succeeding loop is applied to the hook.

Preferably guard means is provided to coact 2 with the needle when the latter is disposed in the vicinity of the lower end of its stroke and ensure tlhai same is correctly located with respect to the Other objects and features of the invention are hereinafter described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in end elevation of a sewing machine head incorporating the preferred form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a view in perspective of loop holding and severing means.

Figure 3 is a view in elevation illustrating the operation of the loop holding and severing means.

Figure 4 is a view in section and is taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a view in sectional elevation and is taken on the line 55 of Figure 1.

I Figure 6 is a view in perspective of a detail. Figures 7 and 8 are views in end elevation and show modified forms of the invention.

In the several figures of these drawings, the same reference numerals are employed to designate the same or corresponding parts.

The machine shown in Figure 1 of the drawings is a modified sewing machine of a well known type having a central rock shaft l0 arranged longitudinally below the base plate I I and supported therefrom in suitable bearings. The shaft I0 is oscillated in the usual way and in timed relation with the needle spindle l2 from the usual spindle 13 in the head I4 of the machine. The shuttle driver which in a sewing machine is mounted on the rockshaft l0 below the needle spindle, is omitted and in lieu thereof a hook carrying member I5 is clamped to the spindle in such a manner that its angular position may be adjusted.

A fiat plate l6 (hereinafter termed the hook plate), provided at its upper end with an integral lateral arm l6 which terminates in a hook I6 is arranged in a corresponding groove in the outer face of the member l5 and is attached thereto by a screw ll, the screw hole in the plate I6. preferably being slotted to permit of some adjustment of the plate longitudinally of the guide groove. Thus, when the rock shaft 10 is actuated in the usual way, the hook plate is oscillated in its own plane and transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the machine, whereby the hook is moved into brushing contact with the outer flattened face of the needle l8 as the latter commences each upward movement from its lowermost position as more fully explained here- 55 inafter.

A transversely disposed shear blade is in the form of a flat plate is pivotally connected at 29 adjacent one end thereof to the outer side of the hook plate and somewhat below the lateral arm I6 thereon.

A slot 2i extends longitudinally inwards fr the opposite end of the shear slotted end of the blade ern' a secured to a plate which is ac, tably mounted-on a suitable part of the frame and such guide pin may advantageously e ntted with a roller.

The inner portion iii of the upper edge of the shear blade and the coacting part it? of the lower edge of the laterally projecting portion is of the hook. plate coact the manner of scissors blades and are sharpened accordingly, as best shown in Figure 4, the lisposition of ev cutting edges being such that the loops applied the tance along the thereof. uncut loops rma y hook plate as shown i r The upper ed downwards cu I thereon to form a shoulo a loop cannot niove'onto the next succeed can angle sha the hook carrying in thereof extending upwart spaced from the adjac nt end c and the 135. er face e of the guard meinb r s inclined at its upper nd as 5) so that, as end or its sary-that 1S, aw of the hook extending arm of the adjacent part of line shear the other arm of suc cured to the member 28 s earn. the base to show the hook As a o vvaril stroke, the nooh is rocked wards the saisubstantially into brush ng contact outer flattened face of the the loop "l A ,a needle 3.11m.

of yarn thereo e aro the w the eye of Le, but alcove thereof. hen the needle is reremains welt) 1 01 arou hook and latter elow the tufts ulti' is retracted, away froi the opposit end Thus, at each of yarn is app 1 n of neec e, a

Now, as tl' plat-e ves a; i rarels tow ne needle as above ed, one sharpened inn 1 portion E3 of theioter edge'tllereof closes on the coacting sharpened inner portion E9 of tlie upper edge of the sh ar blade, so that the innermost loop locate-cl bein *herebetween is severed, it erstood that the outer portion of the s g edges of the hook plate and shear blade, these parts may be quickly removed as single unit by removing the crew ii, and after sharpening, may be quickly and easily reo op position so that no difficult or readjustment i ration of the the hook plate c: red to a second spindle ranged longitut shaft the hook plate 45 be- An actuating arm ion shown in is acljustably secured to the sh ft is rcated at its upper l d t embrace cam S on the shaft 57. One

t is construction is that the disance between the hook a the about which illates con, eraolygreater than in the uc 'o 'eviously des oed so that the are rent of the hook is relatively flat and ately parallel to the Moreover the ca 3 apart rapid important advz.

A furthe construction is that it is a as speed sewing machines in whfc modified o to high shaft i3 is a e h the rotated instead of being oscilla'e'.

In lieu of provioing a seco' rock shaft as below the s aft l the latter shaft may be mounted. in bea ngs arranged s newhat below its :normal position and actuated in substantially the usu lway.

In the further Figure 8 the hook e carrier '55 is supported 'ecl horizontal guid for transverse sliding movements which a imparted thereto by a earn secured to e l-C 'r'vhiChlEl-QY be oscillated or rotated.

The invention has been devi ecl p arily for incorporation in or attach hi; to sewing mw olines of ordinary types, but it will be evident wing machine comprising a reel ea-bl indie adapted to support a needle for car ving a loop of yarn through material to be decorated, a movable carrying member, loop holeng member detachably and adjusta'oly sec :red to said oar 'ng member, means operable to impart forward anchr'et'urn ments to said carrying member n with the neerile spindle s t such forwa d movement the loop holding in ber moves into substantial rushhg contact with the needle to engage and hold the loop thereon, a loop sheari g member directly pivotally connecteo. to and movable bodily by said loop holcling member, enacting cutting edges on said loop holding and loop shearing mernbers,'a loop retaining shoulder on the loop shearing ineniber 5 and located outwardly of the cutting edge thereon and st motion guide means spaced from sai pivotal connection for guiding said loop shearing member whereby during each forward movement of the loop holding member said coacting cutting edges move past each other to sever a loop of yarn therebetween.

2. A tuft forming sewing machine comprising a frame, a vertically reciprocable needle spindle thereon to support a needle for carrying a loop of yarn through material to be decorated, means for reciprocating said needle spindle, a base plate arranged below said needle spindle and having an aperture therein through which said needle projects during each downward stroke of the latter, a horizontally disposed spindle arranged below the base plate, means operable to oscillate said spindle in timed relation with said needle spindle, a carrying member secured to said spindle, a hook plate having a longitudinal arm detachably secured at one end to the carrying member and extending upwardly therefrom, an integral lateral arm on an upper portion of the longitudinal arm and terminating in a hook which is moved into substantial brushing contact with the needle during each forward movement of the oscillatable spindle, a laterally extending loop shearing plate directly pivotally connected to one side of the longitudinal arm of the hook plate below the said lateral arm thereon, a cutting edge forming an inner portion of the lower edge of the lateral arm, a coacting cutting edge forming an inner portion of the upper edge of the loop shearing plate, a loop retaining shoulder extending from adjacent the outer end of the cutting edge on the loop shearing plate to a downwardly stepped portion of the upper edge thereof, said shoulder being located inwardly of said hook and guide means fixed to the frame and engaging said loop shearing plate at a position spaced from the pivotal axis thereof whereby said coacting cutting edges are caused to close together and sever a loop of yarn therebetween during each forward movement of the hook plate.

3. A tuft forming attachment for a sewing machine comprising a hook plate having a longitudinal arm and an integral lateral arm adjacent the upper end of the longitudinal arm and terminating in a loop engaging hook, a laterally disposed shear plate arranged at one side of the hook plate, a pivotal connection between one end portion of the shear plate and the hook plate, the upper edge of said shear plate being normally disposed somewhat below the lower edge of the said lateral arm, said upper and lower edges of the shear plate and lateral arm respectively being sharpened adjacent said pivotal connection to form coacting cutting edges and a loop retaining shoulder extending from adjacent the outer end of the cutting edge on the shear plate to a downwardly stepped outer portion of the upper edge thereof.

C. L. PICKWORTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 434,996 Sawtell Aug. 26, 1890 1,344,284 Weis June 22, 1920 1,433,872 Chalman Oct. 31, 1922 1,984,331 Boyce Dec. 11, 1934 2,308,438 Bills et a1. Jan. 12, 1943 2,335,487 Cobble et al. Nov. 30, 1943 

